Hi-Rez Unveils New Paladins Champion, Mode, Map, and More at HRX 2018

Paladins: Champion of the Realm is getting a ton of new content in 2018, including a market-based map, Team Deathmatch, a new Champion, and more.

The news of the hero-based battle royale mode Paladins: Battlegroundsis not the only major announcement coming out of Hi-Rez Expo (HRX) 2018. According to their keynote event, the mainline version of Paladins: Champions of the Realm will also be getting a few big updates in January, injecting content into nearly every part of the game.

First and foremost, developer Hi-Rez unveiled the game’s 35th champion: Moji. Seen in the reveal trailer below, Moji is a new species dubbed “the Leipori” whom look — to a degree — like a cartoonish black mage from older RPGs. Moji will fall within the “Flank” category fo champions, putting her in the same realm as Androxus, Evie, Maeve, and Skye. Using her two-headed dragon as a mount, the trailer focuses on her using spells to turn enemies into snack-like fuel.

Next on the list is the (second) brand new mode of the day: Team Deathmatch. Compared to the current objective-based game modes available in Paladins: Champions of the Realm, Team Deathmatch is a standard FPS classic. Players will simply work with teams to raise the other team’s kill count as much as possible.

Accompanying this new mode is a brand new map: Trade District. Seen in another teaser video below for Team Deathmatch, Trade District takes place — as you could guess — in a fantasy-inspired shopping district. Filled with cobblestone and trolley carts of wares, the map seems like a mix of open space and turf with ample cover to fire behind.

Last but not least, a brand new feline-based mount will be introduced to Paladins: Champions of the Realm, with the first of the bunch being part as part of a Twitch Prime promotion. Seen in the trailer (below), Twitch Prime members will be able to receive the Battle Cat mount, as well as King Bomb King skin and other bonus content within the next month.

As mentioned in the keynote address, the first wave of content is set to release in tiers based on which console you play Paladins: Champions of the Realmon. PC players will get first dibs to try out the new characters and modes with a January 10 release date; meanwhile, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players will have to wait until January 17, 2018 for the new content.

As mentioned above, Paladins: Champions of the Realmis available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. You can check the game’s cinematic trailer, Moji reveal trailer, Team Deathmatch teaser trailer, and Twitch promotional trailer below, as well as an image gallery showcasing the new map:

Lou Contaldi is the Editor-in-Chief at DualShockers, specializing in both reviews and the business behind gaming. He began writing about tech and video games while getting his Juris Doctor at Hofstra University School of Law. He is maybe the only gaming journo based in Nashville, TN.